Realizations
by nashpar
Summary: one shot. Harry's eyes are opened after he overhears a conversation between Hermione and Ginny. Read and enjoy.


**I do not own Harry Potter nor do I wish to profit from it. all I own is my overactive mind…;) **

**something that just came into my mind and wouldn't leave it till i wrote it down.**

**In this Harry, Hermione and Ron went back for their final year after the defeat of Voldemort. Harry is head boy, Hermione is head girl and Ron is quidditch Captain.**

**Read and enjoy**

Harry entered the head dorm and sighed slumping ungracefully on the couch setting his book bag down beside him. He had just been to see Professor McGonagall. He was failing out in his classes (he had recently got a P on his Potions grade and a D on his Charms exam) and if he didn't pull up, he risked not being able to graduate.

He knew he should have studied for the Charms test like Hermione wanted instead of going off to make out with Sally or was it Sandy…that gorgeous fifth year Ravenclaw but he couldn't resist…

Harry was the star seeker for Gryffindor already scouted for several professional teams, he was head boy, handsome with his messy jet black hair, emerald green eyes and now he was a 6'0 tall slim muscular frame a far cry from the scrawny first year he had been. To add to that, he had defeated Lord Voldemort. That made him really popular with the girls and he relished and basked in it.

This year was the year that for the first time, he could be a normal teenager with no dark Lords after him.

His life had been a struggle since he was a child. His parents were killed when he was just a year old and he had been taken to live with mother's sister and her husband and son. Life there had been hard for him. They hated him because he had magic.

Relief had come when he got a letter to Hogwarts. That would soon be spoiled as well as every year, he faced some threat of some form on his life or the lives of his friends and school mates.

The death of Lord Voldemort had freed him at last. Now he no longer looked over his shoulder. He loved it and he was enjoying himself but maybe a little too much given he was failing out.

As he sat there thinking of what to do to get him back on track with his schoolwork, he brightened immediately. Hermione. Why hadn't he thought it before? Hermione was the brightest witch of her age and his best friend. She would help him out, take him through a crash course.

Thanking God that Hermione's room didn't have charmed stairs that forbid boys from entering he made his way to her room. Just as he was poised to knock, he had voices inside. Hermione and Ginny. He didn't know why, but he hesitated and decided to listen.

"You can't keep doing this to yourself Hermione. It's not healthy." said Ginny. '_What was Ginny talking about? What was Hermione doing? Was she hurting herself?_ At that thought, Harry's eyes widened and he was about to burst in when Hermione responded.

"What do you want me to do Ginny? Go and tell him that I love him? Of course that would work. Hey Harry guess what I am in love with you!" Harry's eyes widened even more. _Hermione loved him? No, she was in love with him? But how? She was his best friend! she couldn't love him like that could she?_

"Maybe you should do that instead of pining over him like that."

"What about you? You dated him. Don't you still love him?" Harry pressed his ear harder at that.

"No. I had a crush on him I don't admit and I was ecstatic when we dated but it wasn't what I expected. It made me realized I loved the idea of him, of being with 'the' Harry Potter and when I got to know him as a person I realized he wasn't the one for me. Beside I am perfectly happy with Blaise."

Harry had to admit, when he had asked Ginny out, she had been like a breath of fresh air to him. She was untainted, beautiful, vivacious and fun. He didn't regret the time with her, but there had been no spark. He had broken up with her for her safety after Dumbledore's death but after Voldemort was gone, he didn't return to her. Maybe it was the time they had spent apart or what, he couldn't be with her. she was just like a sister to him and he was glad she had found love even if it was with Blaise.

"I still don't think he is good for you. He is too proud."

"Oh come of it. He is better now. Beside this is not a Ginny/Blaise issue. This is a Harry/Hermione."

"There is no Harry/Hermione Ginny. No matter how much I would like there to be, there is nothing."

"How do you know?"

At that Hermione scoffed. "Open your eyes Ginny. How many girls has Harry been with since we came back? Huh? I lost count at 7. He has never seen me as someone he could date. I was just there to help solve mysteries and help defeat Voldemort. I would do it again for him but it hurts knowing that is all I will ever be for him. Someone he comes to with homework problem."

Harry's heart constricted. How could she think that! She was the most important person to him. Of course he had come for her help just now but that didn't mean he didn't value her. she made it sound like he was using her!

"Hermione…"

"And it's alright. We all have our places and I have come to accept mine. He cares for me as a friend and I will be grateful for that. Soon we will be graduating , then I can leave and move on with my life without him."

At that, Harry's heart skipped a beat and his eyes widened. lEAVE him? No no… that wouldn't do.

Ginny sighed. "Well your choice. I am going to see Blaise. Remember I am here for you."

Harry dashed away from Hermione's room and went to his room and shut the door then slumped on hi bed in deep thought his heart beating fast.

Since he was a first year, Hermione had always been there for him whether solving puzzles, sitting and talking and just knowing she was his best friend. She had been loyal to him even when no one else was. she had believed in him and even when Ron had left, she had not. She had been the only constant in his life for so long..

He tried to picture a life without Hermione but he couldn't. there was Harry without Ron or Sally or anyone else but there was no Harry without Hermione. He couldn't let her leave his life.

He realized he had taken Hermione for granted all these years. She was just there, the brightest witch of her age. He would go and goof off with Ron then come back to her for help. When she and Ron had their explosive fights, he always took Ron's side. He had never placed her first. His heart tightened as he thought of the broken and defeated voice Hermione had used. He knew he had to do something for her to show he appreciated her and she was the most important person in his life. He would die if she ever left him.

Suddenly it hit him. He was in love with Hermione. Yes. He trusted her more than anyone, he enjoyed her company, he stood up dates in favor of Hermione and he couldn't picture a life without her. He had always thought she would be there as his best friend and aunt to his kids but for the first time he realized, he had seen her in his future playing with his kids but in all those dreams, he had never seen his wife. No one came to mind but now he knew. Hermione would be there, by his side just like she had been ever.

He felt so bad for doing this to Hermione, for making her suffer like this. He had been too caught up in his famous life that he had forgotten that all he needed, all he ever wanted was right infront of him. Just then, there was a knock on his door.

"Come." he said sitting up.

The door opened and it was Hermione. At that moment, as he looked at her, it was like someone had opened his eyes for the first time. Maybe it was because he no considered her dating material or that he had just had his eyes opened but it was like he was seeing Hermione for the first time.

Her brown hair was no longer bushy and it cascaded around her shoulders in gentle waves with strands of blonde in it, her beautiful almond shaped brown eyes, smooth flawless pale skin and her slim petite frame. Hermione in his eyes was the most beautiful girl ever and he wondered if Ron was right in the head to let her go. Of course he had not been right in the head seeing as he hadn't noticed till now. If it was even possible, his heart swelled with love for her.

"I saw your bag on the couch and knew you were in."

Harry couldn't look away and only snapped out of it when Hermione said, "Harry, are you ok?"

"Yeah, yeah. come on in." he said patting the bed beside him. Hermione looked at him curiously and she sat down.

"Harry are you ok? Did something happen? You seem distracted. You are not failing a class are you?" said Hermione and Harry was once again hit by how much Hermione cared for him. She was the only one who saw him for who he was, Harry Potter a teen with teen issues and not Harry the hero like all those girls saw. He had lost count of the many times girls called him their hero…some even in the middle of doing it…

"How did you guess…" he said flashing a lopside grin at her and Hermione blushed her cheeks turning a pretty pink. God she was beautiful and it was like now he was truly seeing her, he couldn't get enough.

"Well I should have known. You should be serious with your school Harry. What is it this time? Charms? Transfigurations? I swear you have swapped brains with Ron Weasley. he is actually doing his homework on time. Well maybe dating Luna did him good but still…" she said frowning. "Harry you are not listening!"

"You are beautiful." Harry blurted out then flushed when he realized what he had said. Stupid mouth.

"W…what?" said Hermione looking at him and Harry knew this was it.

"I said you are beautiful Hermione. The most beautiful girl ever…"

"Harry…"

"No. Hermione, I am sorry. I am sorry for taking you for granted. I am sorry for not noticing what was right before me until now. I am a boy and well we can be stupid sometimes. You have been there for me ever since I was a first year. You have pushed me to be the best I can, you have stood by me even when I was a jerk."

"Harry where is this coming from? Did you eavesdrop on me and Ginny?" said Hermione narrowing her eyes at him.

Harry sighed. "I can't get anything past you can I? I came to ask your help and I heard you talk. I don't know what made me listen but I don't regret it. it made me realize how much you mean to me Hermione. Even if you hadn't come to my room, I was planning on coming to talk to you. I love you Hermione."

"No. you can't Harry. You don't love me. You think you do. I don't want your pity Harry. I have already accepted it."

"You are wrong Hermione. This is not pity. You are special to me, the most important person in my life, the one who I trust with my life. Stupidly I didn't realize that meant I love you."

"But all those girls…"

"They were just that…nameless girls. I was taken in with the hero worshiping but I never forgot about you. remember how I broke up with Cho, or Alice, or Natalie? All of them revolved around you, that I always took your side, that I was closer to you, that I confided in you not them and that I was able to leave them at moment's notice if you needed me. You are everything to me and I can't picture my life without you in it. I love you Hermione."

"You love me…" said Hermione her brown eyes filling with tears.

"With all my heart and I am going to make it up to you for all those times I took you for granted."

"You already have. You don't know how much I have waited to hear you say this to me. I love you so much Harry."

"I love you too Hermione." said Harry gently wiping the tears from Hermione's cheeks then he cupped them gently sealing their confessions with a kiss. Harry felt like his heart would burst. And for the first time, he felt complete, invincible like nothing could ever bring him down.

It was no surprise when he entered the great hall, hand in hand with an equally grinning Hermione, that there was clapping with several of his mates, saying, "About time." he had however been surprised to see some disgruntled teachers passing a beaming McGonagall some coins. Life was back on track now.

**There it is. How was it? Review with what you think.**


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